Focus on aviation, railway killing water transportation – commissioners

Transportation commissioners in Nigeria on Wednesday decried neglect of inland waterways across the country, calling  on all relevant stakeholders to accord due commitment to the sector as is the case in the railway, aviation and road transportation. 

Speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the one-day consultative forum on safety and security on the inland waterways, the body under the aegis of the Nigeria Transportation Commissioners’ Forum, said the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) should be alive to its responsibilities.

The event “Prevalent Safety, Security Hazards, and Practices in Inland Waterways: Passenger Transport Safety”, was hosted by the Kwara State Ministry of Works and Transport.

Speaking on the backdrop of the recent boat mishaps in Kogi State that claimed over 200 lives, its Chairman and Commissioner for Works in Ogun State, Engr Gbenga Dairo, said: “Inland waterways transportation is a neglected area in the country. 

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“There has been a lot of concentration on the railway, aviation and roads transportation sectors and It’s now time for the same level of concentration and commitment to be placed on water transportation. 

“It’s our hope that NIWA, especially will be alive to its responsibilities.”

He said the commissioners  are willing to work with them and other stakeholders in order to ensure that the waterways are safe for transportation.

Engineer Dairo said local governments should be empowered to ensure that they regulate and monitor activities of the nation’s waterways in their councils across the country.

Also speaking, the NIWA boss, who was represented by Olawale Tijani and acting GM (Special Duties), Mohammmed Dangana, said that the promise to build a Jetty at Patigi, Kwara State, following the boat mishaps that claimed about 107 lives last year, has not been abandoned.

“I was actually part of that delegation that came to Kwara State with the MD on this. Jetty is a technical infrastructure and not something you have on the shelf. We need to undergo technical studies of that area and the management has commissioned a team on that. Furthermore, such issues are based on budgetary provisions which have already been taken into consideration”. 

In his address delivered by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Shaba Jubril, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara state, said that to curb rising incidents of boat mishap with massive loss of lives and properties, there should be reforms that include targeted investment, infrastructure upgrade and improved regulation of water travels across the country.